Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs articles from June 2006

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs archives from June 2006

Gasoline prices: new legislation and proposals.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 2, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Legislative Activities Why Are Prices So High? Crude Oil Prices How Oil and Gasoline Prices Are Determined ...

Homeland Security: Coast Guard operations--background and issues for Congress.
June 1, 2006... Summary The Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for maritime homeland security. For FY2007, the Coast Guard is requesting a total of about $4.5 billion for missions defined in The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296) as the...

Trade agreements: impact on the U.S. economy.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 1, 2006 Trade Agreements: Impact on the U.S. Economy Summary The United States is negotiating an unprecedented number of trade agreements. These agreements range from bilateral trade agreements with countries that...

Sudan: humanitarian crisis, peace talks, terrorism, and U.S. policy.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 1, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Current Issues Historical Context The Crisis in Darfur: Background Recent Developments in Darfur Darfur Developments:...

Iran: U.S. concerns and policy responses.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 2, 2006 Iran: U.S Concerns and Policy Responces Summary According to an Administration national security strategy document released on March 16, 2006, the United States "may face no greater challenge from a single...

Flag protection: a brief history and summary of recent Supreme Court decisions and proposed constitutional amendment.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 14, 2006 Summary Many Members of Congress see continued tension between "free speech" decisions of the Supreme Court, which protect flag desecration as expressive conduct under the First Amendment, and the symbolic...

Energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation in the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 2, 2006 Summary This report reviews the status of energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation introduced during the 109th Congress. Action in the second session has focused on appropriations bills; the first...

Clean air act issues in the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 15, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Revision of the Particulate Standards Clear Skies/Multi-Pollutant Legislation Mercury from Power Plants New Source...

Iran's influence in Iraq.
June 1, 2006... Summary Iran's influence over the post-Saddam government in Iraq is substantial because the predominant parties in that government have long enjoyed Tehran's sponsorship. An emerging concern is that Iran's influence has extended to...

Iraq: post-Saddam governance and security.(Operation Iraqi Freedom after Saddam Hussein)
June 1, 2006... Updated June 14, 2006 Summary Operation Iraqi Freedom succeeded in overthrowing Saddam Hussein, but Iraq remains unstable because of Sunni Arab resentment and a related insurgency, compounded by burgeoning sectarian violence....

Iraq: elections, government, and constitution.
June 1, 2006... Summary Elections in 2005 for a transition government (January 30, 2005), a permanent constitution (October 15), and a permanent (four year) government (December 15) were concluded despite insurgent violence, progressively attracting...

Same-sex marriages: legal issues.(Defense of Marriage Act)
June 1, 2006... Summary Massachusetts became the first state to legalize marriage between same-sex couples on May 17, 2004, as a result of a November 2003 decision by the state's highest court that denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry...

Regulation of broadcast indecency: background and legal analysis.(Federal Communications Commission)
June 1, 2006... Updated June 8, 2006 The FCC's Indecency Regulations: Background and Legal Analysis Summary Two prominent television events in the past two years placed increased attention on the FCC and its indecency regulations. The airing of...

United Nations Peacekeeping: issues for Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 16, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Current Funding Situation Basic Information Other Peacekeeping Issues A Peacekeeping Response to International Humanitarian...

Immigration legislation and issues in the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 9, 2006 Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 109th Congress Summary Security concerns are figuring prominently in the development of and debate on immigration legislation in the 109th Congress. In May 2005, the...

Immigration related border security legislation in the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 8, 2006 Immigration Related Border Security Legislation in the 109th Congress Summary Border security is considered a central aspect of the United States' overall homeland security. Securing the border involves...

The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Global War on terror operations since 9/11.(World Trade Center and Pentagon Attacks, 2001)
June 1, 2006... Updated June 14, 2006 The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11 Summary If both houses of Congress pass the conference version of the FY2006 supplemental bill (H.R. 4939) Congress would...

Iraq: recent developments in reconstruction assistance.(Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund)
June 1, 2006... Updated June 15, 2006 Summary Large-scale assistance programs are being undertaken by the United States following the war with Iraq. To fund such programs, in April 2003, Congress approved a $2.48 billion Iraq Relief and...

Iran: U.S. concerns and policy responses.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 21, 2006 Summary According to the Administration's "National Security Strategy" document released on March 16, 2006, the United States "may face no greater challenge from a single country than Iran." To date, the Bush...

U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians.
June 1, 2006... Summary Since the formation of a Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government in March 2006, the U.S. Administration has suspended its foreign assistance program in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. U.S. policy makers have stated that foreign...

Pakistan-U.S. relations.(antiterrorism measures)
June 1, 2006... June 21, 2006 Summary A stable, democratic, economically thriving Pakistan is considered vital to U.S. interests. U.S. concerns regarding Pakistan include regional terrorism; Pakistan-Afghanistan relations; weapons proliferation;...

Pakistan: chronology of recent events.(terrorism)(Chronology)
June 1, 2006... Summary This report provides a chronology of recent events involving Pakistan and Pakistan-U.S. relations. Sources include, but are not limited to, major newswires, the U.S. Department of State, and Pakistani news outlets. For a...

Protection of National Security Information.
June 1, 2006... June 30, 2006 Summary Recent cases involving alleged disclosures of classified information to the news media or others who are not entitled to receive it have renewed Congress's interest with regard to the possible need for...

Ukraine: current issues and U.S. Policy.
June 1, 2006... June 7, 2006 Summary In January 2005, Viktor Yushchenko became Ukraine's new President, after massive demonstrations helped to overturn the former regime's electoral fraud, in what has been dubbed the "Orange Revolution," after...

U.S. policy regarding the International Criminal Court.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 14, 2006 One month after the International Criminal Court (ICC) officially came into existence on July 1, 2002, the President signed legislation that limits U.S. government support and assistance to the ICC; curtails certain...

U.S. International HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria spending: FY2004-FY2007.
June 1, 2006... June 19, 2006 Summary On January 28, 2003, during his State of the Union Address, President George Bush proposed that the United States spend $15 billion over five years to combat HIV/AIDS through the President's Emergency Plan for...

U.S. democracy promotion policy in the Middle East: the Islamist dilemma.
June 1, 2006... June 15, 2006 Summary This report assesses U.S. policy toward Islamist organizations in the Arab world, specifically those groups that have renounced violence and terrorism. The report analyzes U.S. government attitudes toward...

Taiwan: recent developments and U.S. policy choices.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 8, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Taiwan's Political Liberalization Political Pluralization Split Government, Competing Ideologies Key...

Syria: U.S. relations and bilateral issues.
June 1, 2006... June 22, 2006 Summary Syria, governed by President Hafiz al-Asad from 1970 until his death in June 2000, is a prominent player in the Middle East scene. Within the region, a number of border disputes, problems of resource...

Nonproliferation and threat reduction assistance: U.S. programs in the former Soviet Union.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 26, 2006 Summary Congress passed the Nunn-Lugar amendment, authorizing U.S. threat reduction assistance to the former Soviet Union, in November 1991, after a failed coup in Moscow and the disintegration of the Soviet...

Millennium Challenge Account: implementation of a new U.S. foreign aid initiative.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 2, 2006 Millennium Challenge Account: Implementation of a New U.S. Foreign Aid Initiative Summary In a speech on March 14, 2002, President Bush outlined a proposal for a major new U.S. foreign aid initiative. The...

Middle East Free Trade Area: progress report.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 22, 2006 Middle East Free Trade Area: Progress Report Summary On May 9, 2003, the Bush Administration proposed the establishment of a U.S. Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) within a decade (by about 2013). This...

Libya: background and U.S. relations.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 13, 2006 Libya: Background and U.S. Relations Summary On May 15, 2006, the Bush Administration announced its intention to restore full diplomatic relations with Libya and to rescind Libya's listing as a state...

Lebanon.(after war)
June 1, 2006... Updated June 8, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Lebanon: Demography and Politics Political Profile Sectarianism Political Structure and Power Sharing The...

International population assistance and family planning programs: issues for Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 6, 2006 Summary Since 1965, United States policy has supported international population planning based on principles of volunteerism and informed choice that gives participants access to information on all methods of...

Homeland Security: Defending U.S. airspace.
June 1, 2006... Summary The September 11th attacks drew attention to U.S. air defense, and the 9/11 Commission Report recommended that Congress regularly assess the ability of Northern Command to defend the United States against military threats....

Foreign aid: understanding data used to compare donors.
June 1, 2006... Updated 7, 2006 Summary There are various views on how to total U.S. spending on foreign aid and how U.S. transfers compare with those from other major donors. For the United States, the size of the foreign aid budget is frequently...

Environmental protection issues in the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... Summary Environmental protection concerns span a wide variety of issues, including clean air, water quality, chemical security, and environmental aspects of other major issue areas, such as energy, transportation, disaster relief and...

Egypt: background and U.S. relations.
June 1, 2006... Summary This report provides an overview of Egyptian politics and current issues in U.S.-Egyptian relations. It briefly provides a political history of modern Egypt, an overview of its political institutions, and a discussion of the...

China-U.S. relations: current issues and implications for U.S. policy.
June 1, 2006... China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy Summary Throughout much of the George W. Bush Administration, U.S.-China relations have remained unusually smooth and stable. But U.S. policy toward China now...

The changing demographic profile of the United States.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 7, 2006 Summary The United States, the third most populous country globally, accounts for about 4.6% of the world's population. Within the next few years, the U.S. population--currently estimated at 299 million...

Central Asia: regional developments and implications for U.S. interests.
June 1, 2006... June 5, 2006 Summary After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States recognized the independence of all the former Central Asian republics, supported their admission into Western organizations, and elicited Turkish...

The budget for fiscal year 2006.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 22, 2006 Summary The President's fiscal year (FY) 2007 budget (February 2006) included a revised FY2006 deficit estimate of $423 billion, $72 billion larger than its previous estimate (July 2005) and $53 billion larger...

U.S. trade deficit and the impact of rising oil prices.
June 1, 2006... Summary Petroleum prices have risen sharply since early 2004. At the same time the average amount of imports of energy-related petroleum products has fallen slightly. The combination of sharply rising prices and a slightly lower level of...

Transportation security: issues for the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 23, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Aviation Security A Risk-Based, Multi-Layered Approach Passenger Prescreening Passenger Screening ...

United States military casualty statistics: operation Iraqi freedom and operation enduring freedom.(Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom)
June 1, 2006... Summary This report presents difficult-to-find statistics regarding U.S. military casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, Afghanistan), including those concerning medical evacuations, amputations,...

Freedom of speech and press: exceptions to the First Amendment.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 2, 2006 Summary The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...." This language restricts government both more and...

Avian flu pandemic: potential impact of trade disruptions.
June 1, 2006... Summary Concerns about potential disruptions in U.S. trade flows due to a global health or security crisis are not new. The possibility of an avian flu pandemic with consequences for global trade is a concern that has received more...

U.S. Nuclear Cooperation with India: issues for Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 27, 2006 U.S. Nuclear Cooperation With India: Issues for Congress Summary On July 18, 2005, President Bush announced he would "work to achieve full civil nuclear energy cooperation with India" and would "also seek...

Cuba: issues for the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 23, 2006 Cuba: Issues for the 109th Congress Summary Cuba under Fidel Castro remains a hard-line communist state with a poor record on human rights--a record that has worsened since 2003. Since the early 1960s, U.S....

Africa: U.S. foreign assistance issues.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 19, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS U.S. Aid to Africa: An Overview Bilateral Aid Background DFA and Child Survival assistance Economic and Security Assistance Food...

U.S.-Peru trade promotion agreement.(Rob Portman and Alfredo Ferrero Diez Canseco sign)
June 1, 2006... Summary On April 12, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Alfredo Ferrero Diez Canseco signed the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA). The agreement was concluded on December 7,...

Trade remedies: a primer.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 14, 2006 Summary The United States and many of its trading partners use laws known as trade remedies to mitigate the adverse impact of various trade practices on domestic industries and workers. U.S. antidumping...

Restructuring U.S. Foreign Aid: the role of the Director of Foreign Assistance.
June 1, 2006... June 16, 2006 Summary The creation of a new State Department position--Director of Foreign Assistance--has sparked congressional interest regarding the management and any possible future reform of U.S. foreign aid programs. Charged...

The Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA).(expires in August 2006)
June 1, 2006... Summary No firms have been sanctioned under the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA), and it has terminated with respect to Libya. Renewed in August 2001 for another five years (P.L. 107-24), ILSA is scheduled to expire in August 2006. In the...

National emergency powers.(for presidents)
June 1, 2006... Updated June 20, 2006 Summary The President of the United States has available certain powers that may be exercised in the event that the nation is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances (other than natural...

Nuclear weapons: comprehensive test ban treaty.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 21, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS History National Positions on Testing and the CTBT The CTBT: Negotiations and Key Provisions Preparing for Entry...

Trade negotiations during the 109th Congress.
June 1, 2006... June 15, 2006 Summary The Bush Administration has made bilateral and regional free-trade agreements (FTAs) more important elements of U.S. trade policy, a strategy known as "competitive liberalization." This strategy, it argues,...

U.S. and coalition military operations in Afghanistan: issues for Congress.
June 1, 2006... June 9, 2006 Summary The U.S. military has been involved in Afghanistan since the fall of 2001 when Operation Enduring Freedom toppled the Taliban regime and attacked the Al Qaeda terrorist network hosted in Afghanistan by the...

U.S. forces in Iraq.
June 1, 2006... Summary Varying media estimates of military forces in Iraq have raised concerns about the actual number of troops deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). This report provides solely Department of Defense (DOD) statistical information...

United Nations system funding: congressional issues.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 16, 2006 CONTENTS SUMMARY MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS U.N. System Financing U.N. Assessed Budgets Scale of Assessments U.N. Reform U.S. Role in U.N. Reform Task...

FCC media ownership rules: current status and issues for Congress.(Federal Communications Commission)
June 1, 2006... Updated June 29, 2006 Summary On June 2, 2003, the Federal Communications Commission modified five of its media ownership rules, easing restrictions on the ownership of multiple television stations (nationally and in local markets)...

U.S. Embassy in Iraq.
June 1, 2006... Summary The Bush Administration is in the process of building new embassy facilities in Baghdad. An emergency supplemental appropriation (H.R. 1268/P.L. 109-13), which included $592 million for embassy construction, was signed into law...

Project BioShield.(countermeasures for biological terrorism)
June 1, 2006... Summary Many potential biological terrorism agents lack available countermeasures. President Bush proposed Project BioShield to address this need. The 108th Congress considered this proposal in S. 15, S. 1504, and H.R. 2122. President...

Cyprus: status of U.N. negotiations and related issues.(United Nations)
June 1, 2006... June 27, 2006 Cyprus: Status of U.N. Negotiations and Related Issues Summary Cyprus has been divided since 1974. Greek Cypriots, 76% of the population, live in the southern two-thirds of the island. Turkish Cypriots, 19% of the...

Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Hurricane Katrina Relief.
June 1, 2006... Summary In response to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, the 109th Congress enacted two FY2005 emergency supplemental appropriations bills (P.L. 109-61 and P.L. 109-62), which together provide $62.3 billion for...

Disaster debris removal after Hurricane Katrina: status and associated issues.
June 1, 2006... June 16, 2006 Summary Hurricane Katrina produced unprecedented destruction, resulting in disaster debris from vegetation and man-made structures. Before Katrina, the event that left behind the greatest recorded amount of...

U.S.-China counterterrorism cooperation: issues for U.S. policy.
June 1, 2006... Summary After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States faced a challenge in enlisting the full support of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in counterterrorism. This effort raised short-term policy issues about...

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program: background, status, and issues.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 2, 2006 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background, Status, and Issues Summary The Defense Department's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is one of three aircraft programs at the center of current debate over...

Presidential Transitions.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 9, 2006 Summary Since President George Washington first relinquished his office to incoming President John Adams in 1797, this peaceful transition, symbolizing both continuity and change, has demonstrated the stability...

Federal Emergency Management and Homeland Security organization: historical developments and legislative options.
June 1, 2006... Updated June 1, 2006 Summary Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coasts of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi on August 29, 2005, resulting in severe and widespread damage to the region. The response of the federal government,...

International small arms and light weapons transfers: U.S. Policy.
June 1, 2006... Summary This report provides general background on U.S. policy regarding the international trade in small arms and light weapons (SA/LW). It outlines major questions associated with the international trade in these items, and reviews...